Microorganisms are ubiquitous and exist on various surfaces, and through everyday routine, people come into contact with surfaces contaminated with microorganisms. Surfaces contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms can lead to the spread of diseases and infections. Frequent-contact equipment and surfaces, such as but not limited to devices with touchscreens and medical equipment, pose a serious problem due to the high frequency that people and pathogens come into contact with these devices, equipment and items. Item such as packaging and other types of containers which are required to remain relatively sterile but by the nature of their contents, their use or their location may be susceptible to colonization by pathogens also present themselves as vector points for the spread of infectious diseases to individuals or groups of individuals.
A typical method of introducing antimicrobial properties to surfaces includes applying an antimicrobial coating. However, such surface coatings are known to be susceptible to wear by abrasion, chemical attack by cleaning agents, degradation by UV aging, cuts and tears, and will deteriorate over time leading to reduction or elimination of the antimicrobial properties.